The Home for Colored Children opened in Halifax/Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on June 6, 1921, to accept black children in need of care who, at the time, were not permitted in white institutions.

When official segregation ended in the 1970s the home began admitting children of all races and ethnic backgrounds. The home came under fire when many former residents reported physical and sexual abuse they suffered during their time at the home. A class action lawsuit with the province of Nova Scotia was settled in July 2014, which awarded approximately 300 former residents $29 million on top of $5 million settled in the summer of 2013 with the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children. The orphanage was closed in the 1980s.

The former schoolhouse was used as a meeting place for local community groups until, the province transferred the property to the charitable organization Akoma Holdings, which made the old orphanage into a multi-use building.

On the 310-acre property, a subdivision consisting of affordable duplexes is being built; eight 2-bedroom units are reserved for Black families in need of housing. This was made possible with money from Ottawa and the province of Nova Scotia.

The homes are reserved for Black families. Tenants are selected by a committee.

Each unit has two bedrooms and monthly rent is $650 to $1,000, depending on the tenant’s income.

Tenants have access to a support worker to help them transition into their new home and connect them with other services such as medical, dental and substance abuse services, and income and employment support.

The vast majority of the property remains undeveloped. Miller said the hope is to build more housing and other facilities.

A long-term care home is in the works. Other developments could require zoning changes from Halifax Regional Municipality.